East Carbon man found guilty in trophy deer poaching case

PRICE-A 48 year-old East Carbon resident, Wilson D. McCormick, recently pled guilty to the illegal harvest of a trophy mule deer buck in Seventh District Court, Judge Halliday presiding. The case involved the out-of-season shooting of a mature buck on Dec. 27, 2004 near the East Carbon golf course.

Originally charged with a third degree felony, McCormick pled guilty to a class A misdemeanor in a plea bargain agreement, which included the forfeiture of his rifle and payment of $8,000 in restitution. McCormick also faces a possible revocation of hunting privileges for up to 10 years.

"Without the careful observation and reporting by concerned citizens, this case would have never been made," says Sgt. Carl Gramlich, Division of Wildlife Resources. "The public can't be thanked enough for the support they continue to provide in helping us conserve and protect the state's wildlife resources."

If you see a suspected wildlife violation, please call the Price Highway Patrol dispatcher at: 637-0893 or the "Help Stop Poaching Hotline" at 1-800-662-DEER.